Nightmares
by Crisco61
Summary: Mitsurugi isn't always a tough cookie, he can crumble too.


The night was darker than usual, the skies black and the moon hidden behind grey clouds. Rain poured down, slanted and heavy, the sound almost deafening. Lightning flashed through the shoji doors, illuminating the dim room. Thunger shook the night like a child shaking a rattling toy.

Setsuka had one of the shoji doors slid open just a crack, her eyes watching the storm. She felt bad for the guards who stood watch around the area, cold and wet. She would gladly dismiss them if Mitsurugi weren't so set on having protection in the night. So many men wanted him dead for killing someone close to them. Assassins had been after his life many times and he was able to fight them off quite easily. But at night...he needed his sleep, so guards were necessary.

"Setsuka..."

Setsuka jumped a little at the sound of Mitsurugi's voice. He had been in a deep meditation for a good part of the evening, leaving Setsuka to sit around in silence with nothing to do but watch the storm. She closed the shoji door and turned to look at her significant other, a soft smile on her usually annoyed or stern face.

"Yes?"

Mitsurugi stood up from the cushion he was sitting on and walked over to her, gently pulling her into his broad and muscled chest. Setsuka rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his hands slip under her kimono and run along her back. His hands were always so rough yet they moved in the gentlest ways. Sometimes, rough hands felt better than smooth.

"You enjoy watching storms?"

Mitsurugi muttered into her hair. Setsuka smiled to herself, her hands running along his sides in a soothing manner.

"Mm. Ever since I was little. Even though storms are violent...they're peaceful too."

Mitsurugi pulled back from Setsuka a little bit, his eyes boring into her's.

"You're strange..."

A rare smile tugged at his lips. Setsuka shook her head and gave his chest a little push.

"Look who's talking."

She smirked and turned away from him, one of her hands reaching up and letting her blonde hair fall down her back. She felt Mitsurugi grab her arm and then she was pulled back into him, her mouth seized by Mitsurugi's. His hands hastily removed her kimono, pushing her down against their mat.

Setsuka gasped a little, her hands gripping his shoulders. It wasn't rare for Mitsurugi to have bursts of affection and arousal. Setsuka found that...romantic for a man of Mitsurugi's rank and reputation. She gladly welcomed his private needs. He wasn't the kind of man who let everybody know what he needed or wanted, unless it had something to do with bloodshed. His more private needs were things only Setsuka could know or satisfy.

Setsuka let Mitsurugi love her, ravish her. And in return...she loved him.

Mitsurugi jolted up in the middle of the night, his body glistening with sweat and his chest rising and falling rapidly. Setsuka quickly sat up and rubbed her eyes, her hands moving to Mitsurugi's back and chest.

"What's wrong, my love?"

Setsuka's voice was soft and tender, her lips pressing against his shoulder. Mitsurugi put a trembling hand to his face and let out a soft groan.

"Nightmares..."

Setsuka rubbed his back, her smooth hand running over all the scars he had acquired over his years. Her expression was concerned as she watched his face.

"Tell me."

She prompted. Mitsurugi shook his head, lowering his hand to his leg. He swallowed.

"Just...horror. Me and every man I've ever killed...I on one side of the field and all the rest of them on the other. They were just...lined up and ready to be massacred. And I...I slaughtered them all, hacked them up with blood drenching everything in sight. T-the..the sky turned red, the earth crumbled beneath me and I fell...along with all the blood and bits of every man felled by my sword...and then it was black."

Mitsurugi couldn't understand why this dream bothered him. He fought those men in reality...fair duels. He won everytime. It's not like he just killed them to kill them. Maybe that's why the dream bothered him...because he just slaughtered them all without a thought or reason. He didn't do that kind of stuff...so seeing himself do something so horrific...

"It was only a nightmare, Mitsurugi. I know you're a good man, you know you're a good man. Don't let it get to you. Maybe you're just feeling regret for all the lives you took?"

Mitsurugi laid back onto the mat and took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Maybe..."

Setsuka rested her head on Mitsurugi's chest, her hand stroking his stomach. Mitsurugi's arm slid gently around her back, his heart slowing down to a steady pace. Setsuka closed her eyes and thought to herself how times like these were very special...because they showed that Mitsurugi really did have a heart for more than just her. He wasn't all thunder and lightning...he was the rain too. 


End file.
